Chair attachments for tables



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CHAIR ATTACHMENTS FOR TABLES Filed Aug. 27, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR, Jasepfi 50k Wafi n,

Jan, 28, 1958 J. L. SCHWAHN 2,823,241

CHAIR ATTACX-IMENTS FOR TABLES Filed Aug. 27, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet? 59 v21 55 f i se 1 21 JNVENTOR,

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Jan. 28 i958 J. L. scHwAHN 2,821,241

CHAIR ATTACHMENTS FoR TABLES Filed Aug. 27, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Afro/United States, Patent CHAIR ATTACHMENTS FOR TABLES Joseph L. Schwahn,Masonville, N. J.

Application August 27, 1954, Serial No. 452,579

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-80) The object of the invention is to provideimprovements both in certain types of tables and in weight-supportingextensions thereof, and more specifically in tables such as are commonlyused for dining purposes, and seat extensions that in larger sizes maybe used to support small children at the table while eating, or insmaller sizes used for the purpose of supporting dolls and pets besidechildren while the latter are eating.

In recent years there has been a rapidly increasing trend toward smallerhomes, especially for young couples starting their married life and therearing of young children, due in large part to the continuous increasein the cost of ground and the houses built thereon, and taking the formof bungalows, so-called split-level homes, cottages and the like. Inthese smaller homes space is constantly at a premium, wherefore as anexample the former separate kitchen and dining rooms are combined in asingle room of practically irreducible size, and with their combinedareas relatively cramped at that. Thus it is, that an infants highchairoccupies much needed space when not in use, involves a monetary outlaythat frequently can be ill afforded, and which is usually discardedafter a year, or two at the most, and has to be replaced when a secondchild arrives. To these conditions is added the fact that practicallyevery infant above the nursing or bottle age presents a distinctdifiiculty in getting him to eat rather than play at the table, and thatit is much easier to get him to eat his meals if the doll or small petto which he is most attached is sitting beside him, and "atsubstantially his own level above that of the table.

Another object, therefore, is to provide an improved seat construction,that can be retracted in collapsed form beneath such tables inparticular, as those now fabricated from aluminum and stainless steel,both with and without the depending flange or trim that usuallysurrounds them, as an aid in the enhancement of their overallappearance, and the seat being such that it can be made of sufficientsize and strength as to safely support an infant of tender years, or ofsmaller size and lighter weight adapted to support a doll, puppy, cat,or the like, fairly closely beside the chair extension of the infant.

As by far the great majority of these tables are equipped with thedepending trim referred to, a further object is to provide a collapsiblesupport, such as can be readily retracted and extended at will into andfrom a position in close juxtaposition with the under surface of thetable top, without cutting or similarly marring the trim, as wouldotherwise be necessary.

With the objects thus broadly stated, the invention comprises furtherdetails of construction and operation, which are hereinafter fullybrought out in the following specification, when read in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a pictorialperspective view of a portion of a table at which both a little girl andher doll are seated, each in a chair or seat-extension consistent withtheir respective sizes and weights, and com- 2,821,241 Patented Jan. 28,1958 ICC prising two embodiments of the invention; Fig. 2 is enlargedperspective view of the dolls lighter weight-supporting seat in fullycollapsed position beneath and supported by the under side of a table;Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 4 is a side elevation ofthe same, but showing the seat in a intermediate position between itsfully collapsed and operatively extended positions; Fig. 5 shows thechair in fully extended operative position; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan viewof the seat in collapsed position closely adjacent to the under surfaceof a table; Fig. 7 is a bottom perspective view similar to Fig. 2, butshowing the childs greater weight-supporting seat in fully collapsedposition beneath and supported by the under side of a table or the like;Fig. 8 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 4, but showing the largerseat substantially midway between fully collapsed and fully extendedpositions; Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the samechair in fully extended operative position; Fig. 10 is a fragmentaryelevational view showing the right hand seat-supporting frame from aposition between the two frames of a unit; Fig. 11 is a bottom plan viewof the collapsed seat unit in the position shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 12 isrear elevational view of the seat in fully extended position and viewedfrom the rear of the seat back; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of asimple modified form of the seat, that comprises a different collapsingarrangement, and as viewed from beneath a table to which the seat issecured; Fig. 14 is a somewhat similar view showing the seat section ofthe unit folded upwardly against the back section; Fig. 15 shows thesame unit in completely folded position, as a unit removed from asupporting table; and Fig. 16 is a bottom plan view of the unit, showingin full lines the collapsed unit of Fig. 15, while partially and fullyretracted positions of said unit are shown in dash-and-double-dot lines.

Referring to Figs. 1-6, there is here illustrated a form or embodimentof the invention, that provides for the operative support of arelatively light-weight doll or pet I at a table 2, and reference isinitially made to Fig. 1 which shows a child seated in a folding orcollapsible or retractable chair extension 3, comprising this oneembodiment of the invention, while adjacent to such childsupporting seatthere is shown a smaller and lighterweight doll or pet-supporting chairextension 4, that comprises a modification of the invention hereinafterdescribed. Secured fixedly to the under surface of a table top 5 arespaced brackets 6 and 7, which are duplicates of each other except thattheir supporting or table-engaging flanges 6a and 7a oppositelydirected, and their inwardly or rearwardly directed and slightlyundercut lugs 6b and 71) need not be as well defined or as deep as thecorresponding outwardly or forwardly undercut lugs 66 and 7c. Saidbrackets are provided with horizontally elongated apertures or slots 8,in which are slidably secured the opposite end portions of a bar 9 whoseends are afiixed to and which extend between the adjacent pivotallysecured ends of a pair of parallel rails 10, said rails being alsoprovided with inwardly directed, freely projecting bolts or rivets 11,that are adapted to enter the undercut recesses above either therearward bracket lugs 6b and 7b (when said chair is in retractedposition, Figs. 1, 2), or the undercut recesses above the outwardly orforwardly undercut lugs 6c and 70 (when said chair is in extendedposition, Fig. 5).

The opposite free end portions of said rails are provided with elongatedslots 12, having angularly directed extensions 13, that are directlyupwardly when said rails are in their retracted positions (Fig. 3), anddownwardly when in extended positions (Fig. 5). Slidable in theselast-mentioned slots are oppositely directed bolts, rivets, or lugs, 14,carried by the laterally opposite edge portions of -.a back section 15,and by means of which said back sectionis able to assume a position moreclosely adjacent to said brackets 6 and 7 when in retracted position(Figs. 1, 3), than when in extended position (Fig. 5), and thereby beadaptable .to a table of less width or depth than would otherwise bethecase.

Secured to 'said back 'section'by means of a suitable hinge 16 is a seatsection 17, that in retracted position :folds closely adjacent to andparallel with said back .(Figs. 2, 3), and in extended position (Fig. 5)is at substantially right angles with said back, the spacing of saidseat with respect to said table .and'parallel with the rails beingdetermined by a suitable strap or the like 18, that is secured at oneend to the center of the free edge of said seat and at its opposite endto the bar 9. By this construction, the .hingedly connected back andseat sections are operatively maintained in either extended or retractedpositions, the chair sections being prevented from accidentally droppingfrom either of such positions by the engagement of the bar 9 in theundercut portions of the recesses adjacent above the bracket lugs 6b and7b in one direction, and the lugs 6c and 7c in the opposite direction. 7

Referring to Figs. 7-l2, a modification of the invention here shown isof more substantial construction and rigidity than the former, so thatit can support the greater Weight of a child, as compared with that of adoll or the usual pet. To the underside of the table are secured a pairof brackets 21, that correspond in function and general relationshipwith the brackets 6 and 7 hereinbefore referred to. Each of saidbrackets is provided with an outwardly directed angular or so-calledbayonet slot 22, .and rearwardly with a more shallow diagonal slot abovean undercut tongue 23, while beneath said last-mentioned slot is ahorizontally elongated slot 24. Extending. in said last-named slots is abar 25, that projects beyond each of said brackets and is secured toangularly directed projects 26 of a pair of channel rails 27, having ineach case an elongated slot 28 in which slide lugs 29, carried by oneend of each of a pair of links 30, the opposite end of each of which ispivotally secured at 31 to a lateral edge of a seat section 32intermediate its forwardly and rearward edge portions.

Said seat section is hingedly secured at 33 to the normal lower edgeportion of a back section 34, while the normal rearward edge of saidseat is secured by means of a flexible strap 35 to a crossbar 36, whoseopposite ends are secured to angular oifsets 37 fromsaid rails, and uponthe same side of but spaced from said first-mentioned angularprojections 26. Within the channels of said rails 27 are telescopicallyslidable rods 38, that terminate at their outwardly free ends in angularextensions 39 in planes parallel with the planes of said rails, andconnected to said rails by transversely extending shoulders 40, the freeends of said extensions being connected together by a rod 41, thatextends closely to the rear of said back section, so as to provide arear support for said back section when in normal upright position(Figs. 9 and 12).

In the operation of this form of the invention, the seat is maintainedwhen not in use in the retracted position shown in Figs. 7 and 11 by arod 42, that extends between said rails 27, resting in the slightlydownwardly sloping slot above the tongue 23, while the rod 25 ispositioned in the inner ends of the slots 24, the back section 34resting upon the spaced rods 36 and 41, while the seat section liesclosely against the upper surface of said back section. To shift saidseat unit into extended operative position, the rod 42 is raised andreleased upwardly from the supporting tongues 23, and the back and seatsections swung about the rod 25 as pivot, first through the positionshown in Fig. 8, and finally into the fully extended operative positionshown in Figs. 9 and 12, wherein therod 36 is positioned in the pair .ofbayonet slots 22 of said supporting brackets. In this extended positionthe weight of a child upon saidseat 4 section is principally carried 'bythe links 30, and the lower portion .otsaid back while in additionthereto its weight may be in part supported by the strap 35, whichotherwise serves to prevent the child from sliding forwardly upon andfrom said seat section. It will be noted that when the seat as a unit isin retracted position, the rod 25 is in the forwardmost ends of thebracket slots 24, while it is positioned inthe rearmost ends of saidslots when in extended position. Also, the weight of the childforces'the rod 36 into the downwardly directed or lowermostend portionsof the bayonet slots 22, when the seat unit is in extended position,thereby insuring the seat as a unit, or in factany portion of it, fromdropping with its occupant.

Referring to Figs. 13-16, a simplified form of retractable seat for alight-Weight object, such as the doll or pet hereinbefore referred to,is shown in a form that is well adapted for marketing as a separateunit, that can be readily mountedupon an existing table, as comparedwith installing it upon a table during the process-0f manufacturing it.This unit comprises a seat section 45, to which 'is pivotally secured aback section 46by means of a suitable hinge at 47. An L-shaped bracketcomprises a normally horizontal portion 48, that when installed isfirmly secured to the under surfaceof a table top 49, while by means ofa bolt or the like extending through one of the verticallyspacedapertures 50 in a vertically extending portion 51 of said bracket,'thereis secured to said bracket the central, transverse portion 52 of a rigidU-shaped member, whose side portions 53 serve as chair arms and areprovided with elongated L-shaped slots 54. Bolts or studs55 carried :byeach of the laterally opposite side edges of said back section 46 arenormally. positioned in the downwardly directed outer ends 56 oftheslots 54, to prevent said back section from being accidentally dislodgedand shifting forwardly while in extended operative position as when inuse. Otherwise, said bolts .or studs when lifted from said angular slotends 56 may be shifted through and towards the opposite ends of saidslots, until said seat and back sections are hingedly brought intoparallelism (Figs. 14, '15) when they may be brought substantially orentirely within the longitudinal limits of the side portions 53 of saidU-shaped member 52.

When thus brought into a fully collapsed position, the seat unit as awhole may be swungaboutthe bracket-supporting bolt or screw 57 by whichit is pivotally secured to the table 49,until from the operativeextended position shown in solid lines in Fig. 16, it passes throughtheangular positions represented by the angular dash-and-doubledotposition 58, until it assumes the fully retracteddashand-doubledot.positionx59, completely beneath the table top. To makethe seat until available for further use, it is simply swungreversely tothe solid line position, and then extended :untilthe studs 55 drop bygravity into the slot ends '56,: and the back section brought intoupright position, whileitheiseat section is'extended into its normalhorizontal position, where it is held by a strap 60, of which one end issecured to the back-engaging edge portion of said seat, whileitsoppositeend is secured to the lower portion ofthe depending bracketportion 5]..

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protectby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1.. A retractable seat unit, comprising a bracket adapted to be'securedtoan extraneous support, said bracket havingoppositelydirectedlugs and an intermediate elongated aperture, anoscillatable member having an extension projecting'intosaid aperture andan extension adapted when inengagement above said lugs to removablysecure said member .in either retracted or extended positions, a backsection pivotally secured to the outer free end portion of said member,a seat section pivotally secured at one edge to the lower portion ofsaid back section, and means normally. supporting and'connecting theotherwise free edge portion'of said seat section to said bracket.

2. A retractable seat unit, comprising a pair of brackets adapted to besecured to an extraneous support, each of said brackets havingoppositciy directed tongues and an intermediate elongated aperture, apair of oscillatable members, a bar connecting said members andextending through said apertures, an extension of each of said memberbeing operative to engage either of the tongues of each of said bracketsselectively to removably support said members in either retracted orextended positions, a back section extending between and pivotallysecured to the free ends of said members, a seat section pivotallysecured at one edge to the lower portion of said back section, and meansconnecting the free edge portion of said seat section to said bar to aidin supporting a Weight upon said seat section when in extended position.

3. A retractable seat unit, comprising a pair of brackets adapted to besecured to an extraneous support, each of said brackets havingoppositely directed tongues and an intermediate elongated aperture, apair of oscillatable arm rests provided in their free end portions withelongated slots having angular end portions, and a bar connecting saidmembers and extending through said apertures, an extension of each ofsaid arm rests being operative to engage either of the tongues of eachof said brackets selectively, to removably support said arm rests ineither retracted or extended positions, a back section provided withlugs slidable in the slots of said arm rests a seat section pivotallysecured at one edge to the lower portion of said back section, a strapconnecting the free edge of said seat section to said bar, to aid insupporting a weight upon said seat section, said arm rest extensionswhen positioned above the outer tongues of said brackets and said backlugs when in the angular end portion of said slots cooperating tomaintain said back in extended upright operative position with the freeedge of said sent section supported by said strap.

4. A retractable seat unit, comprising a pair of brackets adapted to besecured to an extraneous support, each of said brackets being providedwith oppositely directed tongues and an elongated aperture, a pair ofoscillatable arm rests of channeled cross section and provided withlongitudinal slots, a bar extending through said apertures andconnecting said arm rests, a second bar connecting portions of said armrests spaced from said first bar and operative to rest upon one of thetongues of each of said brackets when in retracted position, a third barextending between intermediate portions of said arm rests and adapted torest upon the other of the tongues of said brackets when in extendedposition, a bar slidable in each of the channels of said arm rests, aback section pivotally secured to the outer free end of said lastmentioned bars, a seat section having one edge portion pivotally securedto the lower edge portion of said back section, and links pivotallysecured to the laterally opposite edge portions of said seat section andto said last-mentioned bars.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS651,539 Warren June 12, 1900 1,606,541 Straith Nov. 9, 1926 1,746,792Rostetter Feb. 11, 1930

